As two become one

With just weeks to go before they close their doors for the last time as separate, single-sex schools, students, teachers and administrators at St. John Neumann and St. Maria Goretti high schools are reflecting on the past while bracing themselves for their shared future.

The schools will merge in September, bringing to fruition more than 20 years of rumors that neither school could continue to survive on its own.

The planned relocation of Neumann’s staff and students to the Goretti building, 1736 S. 10th St., has had supporters and detractors from both schools.

However, the consolidation has netted an increase in enrollment for September that has surprised some faculty members, according to Steve Henry, a Neumann teacher who also will serve as the disciplinarian at the new school.

"Typically when schools merge, you see their enrollment drop," Henry said. "For one reason or another, we’re seeing our numbers shoot up, which we feel is a huge positive."

Although Neumann and Goretti currently have student populations of 561 and 600, respectively, the enrollment for the 2004-2005 year is already at 1,305 — a collective increase of 144.

Neumann and Goretti president Rev. Michael Olivere expects that number to rise over the summer.

"Our registration is ongoing, so we think our population will be higher by September," he said.

The building could accommodate up to 2,500 students.

"In its heyday, Goretti fit some 3,000 students in their building," noted Olivere. "However, the ways of education have changed over the last 30 years. Smaller classroom sizes and computer labs will keep us from getting that high again."

While students of the new school won’t have to worry about empty classrooms, they will have to gear themselves up for a new environment with completely different dynamics — and they won’t be alone.

Many Neumann and Goretti teachers will be finding themselves in front of coed classrooms for the first time in years, if not for the first time in their careers.

"It’s a big change for everybody," said William Stewart, a math teacher at Neumann. "I think it’s probably going to be tougher on the seniors, who will have had three years to get used to that single-sex environment."

Some Goretti students echoed Stewart’s sentiments.

"I think a lot of kids are going to feel awkward in class," said Allison Elliott, a junior from the 2400 block of South Fifth Street. "No one will want to answer any of the teachers’ questions because they’ll probably feel stupid."

Bridget Gillespie, a junior from the 1400 block of South 28th Street, said the new environment also might affect the students’ appearances.

"None of the girls will just roll out of bed and come into school. They’ll all want to get dressed up," Gillespie said.

Appearances aside, administrators feel they have done an effective job of making the transition from two schools into one as seamless as possible.

"Countless hours of meetings went into this merger, all in an attempt to make sure the students feel comfortable here," said James Gildea, Goretti’s assistant principal for student services and head of the English department.

Gildea said that students were included on all of the planning committees to ensure their voices were heard. As a result, he said, all of the extracurricular activities that were available at Neumann and Goretti will continue at the new school.

Organizations like student council will include co-presidents and vice presidents — both female and male representation.

In addition to a student newspaper and yearbook, the merged school will feature a literary magazine — once called The Patroness at Goretti.

"The kids decided to name the paper The Crown [after Goretti’s newspaper] and the yearbook The Crystal [after Neumann’s yearbook]. We’re still working on the magazine," said Gildea.

The consolidation plans also have forced administrators to take a long look at how they will handle disciplining a larger, integrated group of students.

"It’s a whole new world, no question," said Henry, who served as Neumann’s disciplinarian for two years before returning to the classroom this year. "Our workload will essentially double."

Henry said he has met with disciplinarians from other schools that have merged to gain some pointers and a better sense of the job that is before him and Goretti principal Patricia Sticco, who will serve as co-disciplinarian.

"A lot of people have said [the merger] will have a positive effect on the boys, that a lot of the silliness that usually goes on with them will subside," Henry said.

Charles Gagliardi, who taught for 11-and-a-half years at Neumann before switching to Goretti in 1982, expects the students to adjust over time.

"I don’t anticipate any extra problems. The boys will adapt, and so will the girls," Gagliardi said. "After a while, it just becomes school again."

Although administrators are trying to cover all of the bases, other sources have claimed the physical changes won’t be done in time for the new academic year. For instance, Goretti must undergo the refurbishing of bathrooms and the addition of computers with T1 lines to each of the classrooms.

Father Olivere refuted claims that the building won’t be ready for its new occupants.

"They’ve already started to work on what will become one of the boys’ bathrooms. The technology plan that we have in place is fine as well. Everything will be done by the fall," the president said.

Olivere noted that most of the heavy work will be completed over the summer when the girls are out of the school. "There’s only so much we can do right now without disrupting their day."

While a lot of energy has gone into talking about and planning the merger, some students feel that the loss of two storied South Philly institutions isn’t being fully realized.

"It hurts to know that next year, we won’t be able to just go back and visit the same people in the same building," said Steven Rinaldi, a senior from the 2400 block of South Juniper Street.

"We all loved our time at Neumann," added Frank Baldino, a senior from the 3200 block of South Sydenham Street. "We got used to the teachers, their classrooms, the hallway, the field … It’s just really upsetting."

In addition, the traditional graduation venues — Villanova University for Neumann, Temple’s Liacouras Center for Goretti — will change next year.

"It’s a scheduling and logistics issue," Olivere explained. "The Liacouras Center is going to work out best for us next year. Past that, we may play it by ear."

Meanwhile, the school president said, the administration anticipates some lingering hard feelings.

"We understand this is a hard time for a lot of people. There’s a lot of emotions, a lot of deep-rooted traditions that are coming to an end," said Olivere. "We’re working very hard, though. There’s a lot of bumps in the road right now."

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The last class of St. Maria Goretti High School will graduate June 3. St. John Neumann High School’s final commencement will be held June 5.